Caleb Worthy
Caleb Worthy has been the Sheriff of Fort Holly for most of his adult life. His superlative marksmanship belies his sleepy demeanor, but he prefers to seek out peaceful resolutions to the problems he's confronted with. Caleb's idea of a good day is dragging his chair out onto his office patio and parking his butt for several hours before retiring for the evening to spend time with family or friends. If roused to action however he is an implacable seeker of justice. History Caleb's family are one of the fortunate Farmer families of Fort Holly, their land based in and around Yellow House Canyon. His childhood was extremely tense, in addition to his chores and having to watch out for predatory animals and harmful pests, there was always the possibility of vendetta, the feud between Farmer families breaking out over any slight. So terrified of being dragged into such a calamity, he was a quiet youth who maintained a grueling work ethic. In his mind, if he was always seen to be working and quiet, there could be no justifiable excuse to include him in any dispute. Because of his quiet, mindful nature he alone observed the daughter of another farm family running off hand-in-hand with a stranger. Initially thinking nothing of the incident, it led to tensions when the girl's family began accusing others of kidnapping the girl. The Scientists were unable to defuse the situation and it seemed as if the town would descend into a multi-tiered feud when Caleb spoke up and told everyone about what he saw. Thinking he might be lying to cover for his family but not wanting to ignore a potential lead, the girl's family sent some hands on the trail Caleb specified and found that she had eloped with the stranger Caleb saw. Caleb's reputation for honesty was sealed and the girl's family was grateful to have an out after their threats and posturing. When future disputes between the Farmers resulted in the Scientists fearing for their safety, they demanded that the Farmers arrange for some proper law enforcement or they would stop their work on the land. The Farmers held an election and Caleb was drafted by the voters who recognized his work ethic and honesty. Freed from the stresses of internecine farmer conflict by popular appeal, Caleb threw himself into his new duties with great enthusiasm. After many years of administering justice, fighting raiders and loonies, and generally keeping the peace he found his energy on the wane. He now prefers to lounge on the patio of his office. He prefers to come across to strangers as intimidating so as to keep them from starting trouble, rather than having to deal with it when it comes. His only daughter has married into the Salt Clan, specifically its patriarch Ephrem; something he is less than enthused about. Appearance Caleb comes from sturdy farmer stock: hale and hearty with weathered skin and sun-bleached whiskers. He's a little shorter and thicker than average, a trait he shares with his brothers. As he is of African descent, he has black hair and brown eyes. Abilities & Skills Caleb's tough as a mule, has a fast eye and faster hands. He's not a terribly quick study and is reserved, except when trying to cow troublemakers. Caleb is a highly proficient marksman with traditional firearms owing to his childhood responsibilities keeping molerats out of the fields, his teenage tenure in the town's militia, and his long reign as Sheriff. He's also competent with a knife or cudgel and he's not at all afraid to mix it up with his fists. He's learned to take care of himself out in the wilderness, which he sometimes has to venture into for days or weeks when pursuing fugitives from justice. He also knows how to take care of his equipment though he's ignorant of how to operate most electronic devices. Equipment Caleb wears a suit of ornately tooled leather armor with shiny steel buckles when he's on the job, a gift from the Salt Clan of Petroleum. His trademark top hat was a gift from his father: once a rarely employed part of an ancestor's wardrobe, it has become a sort of heirloom to be passed down the generations. As Sheriff, Caleb has access to a number of functional pistols and long-arms, but he favors an antique M1C Garand. Quotes About From Category:Characters